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Russian Escape Capsule Reaches Vicinity of Striken Submarine
Racing against time, Russian Navy rescuers began lowering a piloted escape capsule Wednesday to a crippled nuclear submarine in a new attempt to save the 116 sailors trapped inside, officials said.
The latest bid came after two earlier attempts during the night to lower a bell-shaped rescue capsule to the submarine Kursk failed because they ran out of air and poor visibility made it impossible to connect with the submarine.
Oxygen for the vessel"s 116 crewmen was expected to last just two more days, Russia"s navy chief said.
A second rescue capsule also was being prepared in case it was needed to assist to bring survivors to the surface, navy officials said.
Efforts to connect with the submarine during the night were frustrated by strong currents and swirling sand that made it very difficult to see, the navy said. A rescue capsule was forced back to the surface during the night after running out of air, they said.
The sunken submarine was lying motionless 354 feet below the surface. The navy chief, Adm. Vladimir Kuroyedov, said the situation was "extremely grave" with oxygen inside the craft expected to run out Friday.
Navy officials said water appeared to be leaking into the vessel. Kuroyedov described what appeared to be extensive damage. He said the submarine"s periscope was up but its navigation room was damaged, the railing was dented and the protective cover of two missile tubes on the vessel"s right side was missing.
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